Important Links

Overview

RELS 211: Death and Dying in World Religions is a general survey course about the conceptions of the afterlife in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, and the various rituals and experiences associated with death in each of these traditions. This course does not require any prior experience in the academic study of religion, nor does it require you to have a prior knowledge of any of the religions covered in this course. The Study Guide, assigned readings, and videos will provide you with all the information necessary to help you to successfully complete the course.

Outline

Unit 1: Course Overview

Unit 2: An Overview of Judaism and Jewish Views of Death and the Afterlife

Unit 3: An Overview of Christianity and Christian Views of Death and the Afterlife

Unit 4: An Overview of Islam and Muslim Views of Death and the Afterlife

Unit 5: An Overview of Hinduism and Hindu Views of Death and the Afterlife

Unit 6: An Overview of Buddhism and Buddhist Views of Death and the Afterlife

Unit 7: Near-Death Experiences

Unit 8: Death and Funerary Rituals

Unit 9: Grieving, Mourning, and Remembrance

Unit 10: Dying the Good Death

Evaluation

To successfully pass RELS 211, Students must complete all their quizzes and hand in all their assignments by the end of the stipulated contract date and complete the exam with a passing grade of 50 Percent or higher.

In order to pass the course, students must hand in their assignments complete the quizzes, pass the exam with a grade of 50 percent or higher, and achieve a composite grade of 50 percent or higher between the exam and the assignments.

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Quiz 3

Research Essay

Final Examination

Total

10%

10%

10%

35%

35%

100%

The final examination for this course must be taken online with an AU approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators that can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Videos

Nakazawa, Shinichi and Douglas Penick. The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life / The Great Liberation. Directed by Hiroaki Mori, Yukari Hayashi, and Barrie Mclean. 1994. New York: Kino Lorber, 2009. DVD.

Other Materials

All other materials, including additional required readings, are available online.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.